Britain's Romell Glave celebrates after winning the men's 100m

Birmingham (United Kingdom) (AFP) - Britain’s Romell Glave upstaged two-time defending champion Marcell Jacobs to win European men’s 100m gold in Birmingham on Tuesday.

Jacobs, the Tokyo Olympics gold medallist, had been favourite going into the race, but had a terrible start, handing Glave an advantage he never ceded.

The Italian suddenly slowed to a jog at around the 50m point of the race with what he later said could be a “serious” injury to his adductor.

The Jamaican-born Glave clocked 10.09 seconds for the win, with world indoor 60m champion Jeremiah Azu also taking silver for Britain in 10.16sec.

“It is an amazing feeling,” Glave said. “Just the work I put in to come here and execute my race. We have been working on my start, and I was able to execute that today.

“Upgrading from a bronze medal from 2024 is an amazing feeling.

“That was the aim to get one, two, and three, but we got 1-2, which is also amazing. Wasn’t really pressure mentally. I was ready for this occasion.”

Glave, 26, added of Britain’s 100m performances, notably after Amy Hunt won the women’s race on Monday: “It is domination. Total domination.”

Germany’s Owen Ansah, facing calls from his country’s anti-doping agency for a four-year ban for refusing to undergo a doping test, took bronze in 10.19sec.

Jacobs, 31, eventually came through the line in seventh place, more than two seconds off the pace.

Marcell Jacobs had breezed through his semi-final before injury struck in the final

“I think my injury is serious because I felt something before the start when I tried the blocks,” Jacobs said.

“Something pulled on my adductor so I know it was serious. In the blocks I tried to push at the limit but at 50m I felt something pull seriously.

“I tried it and I am a bit upset because I ran a very good semi-final. I ran 10.08 and it felt really easy, like jogging.

“And now they won the final with 10.09. This is so unlucky. But this is a part of the game and I am here to play.

“Now I will try to understand how serious this is and we will see about the rest of the season. I cannot control everything and this is a part of the sport.”